Ocean Reef Vintage Weekend in Key Largo the weekend of Dec 1-4

An important collection of Rybovich boats will be on display at the Ocean Reef Vintage Weekend in Key Largo the weekend of Dec 1-4 - an event you won't want to miss!

Kicking off the lineup will be the oldest Rybo still in existence, the breathtaking 1949 Hull #2, "Legend"  treasured with care by Lynne and Larry Mullins.  She was commissioned in 1949 by Tony Accardo, ("Big Tuna Tony") Al Capone's second in command and was splashed "Clari Jo" to honor Tony's wife Clarice. As the second Rybo commissioned, "Legend" was built exactly like Hull #1 except Accardo ordered her built 3 feet longer. Completely restored by my cousin Michael to Bristol condition, Hull #2 still sports her original angelfish cabinet door vents (featured on the cover of the Rybovich book!) and is the very first boat to sport the Rybovich signature double-handrails - a must-see for any lover of Rybovich. If you've ever dreamed of going aboard the very first Rybo ever built by the 3 Rybo guys, the 62-year old "Legend" is as close as it gets!  She sends shivers down my spine.

Along with this most historic Rybovich will be the breathtaking 1954 Hull #13, "Bimini Babe."  A fine example of the much loved (and much coveted) Rybo 36-footers, "Bimini Babe" was commissioned by Bob Maytag, heir to the washing machine fortune.  The first of his two custom Rybo's both named "Bimini Babe"  (Hull #13 and #38) Hull #13 has a colorful past of having been the go-to party boat at the 50s and 60s hot spots, like the Cat Cay Tuna Tournaments.  The ol' salts - like our lovely Capt Joe Moore - recall how the exuberant Bob Maytag showed up at the dock (always barefoot with dog Chester aboard!) with games and sporting equipment for the crew.  As a party animal himself, Maytag ferried the crew to Friday night dances at the Caribbean Club aboard "Bimini Babe" and enlivened tournaments with rides aboard his personal helicopter & tug boat as well(!)   The current owners of the 57 year old "Bimini Babe" (Jim Connelly and David Pyle) jumped thru hoops to have her delivered from her homeport in California to several vintage Rybovich events and I'm thrilled to say that the much-loved Capt Lew Lane is again running the boat just as he did some 50+ years ago!

And a vintage Rybo event wouldn't be complete without the much-loved Cubavich, "Tango!"    The captivating story of Cubavich boats is detailed in the Rybovich book, but in a nutshell, "Escape" (1953 Rybo Hull #10) was one of a dozen Rybo's fishing an early 1950's Havana tournament.  In the dead of night the Rybovich boat "Escape"  was secretly taken out of the water, brought to the Havana Yacht Club to be carefully measured and scrutinized.  Every detail of Hull #10 was recorded, with photographs taken and templates made of the hull in order to create an exact replica.  Just before sunrise the boat was snuck back into her berth in time to fish the next morning with no one the wiser.  Several years later a dozen or so of these excellent Rybo replicas (known as a "Cubavich!") were built by the Cuban Aizorbe boat-builders so it's a thrill to have "Tango" - a fine example of Cubavich - in our lineup!

And along with these lovely ol' gals,  a couple other Rybo's are still in the works, like  the 1960 Rybovich Hull #43, "Frisky,"  the world's first cold-molded boat!  My fingers are crossed that she'll be able to join us for this extraordinary vintage Rybo event!

And, as icing on the cake, one of my cousin Michael Rybovich's most gorgeous creations will be there to steal the show:  the 54 foot,  jaw-droopingly gorgeous "Lizzy Bee!"  Sporty & glamorous, "Lizzy Bee", Rybovich Hull #123 was splashed in 2007 for Rybovich-enthusiast extraordinaire Larry Wilson (the 4th Rybo he's commissioned!)  The stunning "Lizzy Bee" is Michael's brilliant interpretation of my dad's classic Rybovich 'Express' and features never-before-seen innovative lines, extensive woodworking and painstaking attention to detail that would truly earn my dad's respect. For almost a century Rybovich has been acknowledged as one of the oldest and most respected boatbuilders in America and in Michael's capable hands, the retro-inspired "Lizzy Bee" brings Rybovich to an entirely new level.

The whole family is thrilled as Michael today single-handedly carries on the Rybovich boatbuilding legacy & the values that have made Rybovich an icon of style, elegance and innovation.  Along with the Vintage Weekend at Ocean Reef in December we'll celebrate the grand opening of Michael's new boatyard - hope you will join us for the vintage Rybovich event in Palm Beach Gardens, late March, at Michael Rybovich & Sons Boat Works!

All the best,